Genesis 1:1 in Real Life
Have you ever had the desire to write, to share you views, ideas, insights, and thoughts, without really knowing what it was you wanted to say? There’s so much going on in the world today…so many possible topics…where does one begin? I’ll start in the beginning…
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
These are such wonderfully familiar words, but what do they mean?
For one thing, we’re reading a translation. How precise is it? One of the first things I learned in my Hebrew class at Hardin-Simmons was that there is no “the” in the Hebrew of this verse. Most translations include it, except, interesting enough, the English translation done by the Jewish Publication Society, which reads, “When God began to create heaven and Earth—“ There are other translations as well. This one issue aside, the text we generally hear is accurate enough, and the meaning of the text remains virtually unchanged. God preexisted creation and made creation from the start.
The main point of the verse is obvious. Elohim is the point of this verse. God is the one doing the work, making everything else (every THING). God is different than creation. God is the initial cause. Creation was created by God and for God. This includes the heavens, the earth, and everything in them, even humanity. Your purpose is to carry the image of God and glorify Him as part of His creation!
So, as we consider all that happens in the world, we cannot (except foolishly) do so without considering their relationship to God. It’s all well and good to consider that the next president of the United States might be a racist, but how does that relate to the purpose of race as part of God’s creation? It’s fine to talk about space exploration, but how does space itself “declare the glory of God”? I don’t mind talking about finances and the financial hardships our country seems to be entering into, but how do such times reveal the nature of God’s providence to us?
If God is the source of all that was “begun”, shouldn't God be included in our thoughts as we consider the world around us? Shouldn't His role as Creator demand our consideration in all things? Isn't God really the point?
“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Genesis 1:1
These are such wonderfully familiar words, but what do they mean?
For one thing, we’re reading a translation. How precise is it? One of the first things I learned in my Hebrew class at Hardin-Simmons was that there is no “the” in the Hebrew of this verse. Most translations include it, except, interesting enough, the English translation done by the Jewish Publication Society, which reads, “When God began to create heaven and Earth—“ There are other translations as well. This one issue aside, the text we generally hear is accurate enough, and the meaning of the text remains virtually unchanged. God preexisted creation and made creation from the start.
The main point of the verse is obvious. Elohim is the point of this verse. God is the one doing the work, making everything else (every THING). God is different than creation. God is the initial cause. Creation was created by God and for God. This includes the heavens, the earth, and everything in them, even humanity. Your purpose is to carry the image of God and glorify Him as part of His creation!
So, as we consider all that happens in the world, we cannot (except foolishly) do so without considering their relationship to God. It’s all well and good to consider that the next president of the United States might be a racist, but how does that relate to the purpose of race as part of God’s creation? It’s fine to talk about space exploration, but how does space itself “declare the glory of God”? I don’t mind talking about finances and the financial hardships our country seems to be entering into, but how do such times reveal the nature of God’s providence to us?
If God is the source of all that was “begun”, shouldn't God be included in our thoughts as we consider the world around us? Shouldn't His role as Creator demand our consideration in all things? Isn't God really the point?
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